March is Red Cross Month and the American Red Cross would like to recognize the nation’s Everyday Heroes who reach out to help their neighbors when they are in need.

“Our local heroes are our volunteers, our blood donors, people who take our classes or those who make a financial contribution to help us, help others, throughout our communities” said Jody Weyers, Volunteer Director. “During Red Cross Month, we thank them and encourage everyone to discover their inner hero!”

For more than 70 years, all of our country’s presidents, including President Barack Obama, have designated March as Red Cross Month to recognize how the American Red Cross helps people across the country and around the world.

Here in Wisconsin, we respond to more than a 1,000 disasters (mostly residential fires) and we must be ready to respond 24/7/365. In addition to helping someone down the street, we send trained responders to hurricane, tornado and wildfire responses across the country. We teach kids to adults lifesaving skills, we roll-up our sleeves to donate blood, we even provide 24-hour support to members of the military, veterans and their families – in war zones, military hospitals and on military installations around the world.

‘Not all heroes wear capes and volunteering is a great way to be someone’s hero,” gleamed Weyers. “It’s easy, become a Red Cross volunteer, work on a preparedness plan for their household, give blood, or take a Red Cross class.”

March 6th – We open our newest Nurse Assistant Training location in La Crosse. This brings our statewide total to six training locations with courses happening almost monthly. State Farm,Walmart and the Waupaca Community Foundation are funding student scholarships. www.redcross.org/WINAT.

March 16th – Members of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Red Cross Club, Student Veterans Association and Americorps/Vet Corps will coordinate a King Veteran Home resident’s bingo and bowling outing.

March 27th – Dine Out For Disaster Relief – Bring your hunger to participating restaurants where a percentage of your sales will be donated to support disaster relief and life-saving preparedness programs locally. www.redcross.org/dineoutwisconsin is presented by Society Insurance.

When filing your Wisconsin State Taxes, you can use the donation “check off” to give directly to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Every dollar stays in Wisconsin.

Donate the gift of life – give blood! Our Green Bay Blood Donation Center at 2131 Deckner Avenue collects blood four to five days a week and includes evening and weekend hours. Walk-ins welcome or visit www.redcrossblood.org to make an appointment.

To learn more about volunteering go to www.redcross.org/volunteer or contact Jody Weyers at 920-227-4287 or jody.weyers@redcross.org.

Sheboygan Fire Department hosts blood drive and open house this Saturday, July 14 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sheboygan City Fire Department Headquarters,1326 N. 25th St., Sheboygan.

Sheboygan-area residents are invited to roll up their sleeves at the community blood drive, sponsored by B93.7 FM, and attend an open house at the fire department headquarters to get a behind-the-scenes look at the everyday operations of the local firefighters.

Currently, the Red Cross has an emergency need for blood donations. All blood types are needed, but especially O positive, O negative, B negative and A negative in order to meet patient demand this summer.

All presenting donors will receive a free “Pint for a Pint” coupon to be redeemed at Al & Al’s Steinhaus Restaurant for a pint of their favorite beverage.

Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license, or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies more than 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at blog.redcross.org.

WASHINGTON, August 28, 2011 – More than 27,000 people spent Saturday night in shelters opened or supported by the American Red Cross as Hurricane Irene moved up the East Coast. The storm is shaping up to become a large flood relief operation and thousands of people across multiple states have already turned to the Red Cross for help.

“Our main focus right now is providing people with a safe place to stay and food to eat,” said Charley Shimanski, senior vice president of Disaster Services for the Red Cross. “There have been mandatory evacuations all along the East Coast and millions are without power because of this hurricane.”

While it is too early to know the full extent of the storm’s damage, the Red Cross expects to be helping people for the next several weeks.

The Red Cross has relief operations ongoing in more than a dozen states and thousands of disaster workers helping people fromNorth CarolinatoNew England. Every Red Cross feeding truck east of theRocky Mountains- more than 250 – are set to go into neighborhoods as soon as conditions permit. Tens of thousands of pre-packaged meals are in position, and the Red Cross is working with its community partners to have feeding kitchens in place after the storm moves through.

“This is a big response involving multiple states and the response will cost millions,” Shimanski said. If people would like to help, they can click or text to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Donations can be made by visiting www.redcross.org or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Contributions can also be sent to someone’s local Red Cross chapter or mailed to the American Red Cross,P.O. Box 37243,Washington,DC20013.

Irene has already caused the cancellation of more than 50 blood drives, adding up to a loss of approximately 1,500 blood donations along the East Coast. Because each donation can be made into as many as three blood products, this translates to approximately 4,500 blood products not being available for patients who need them. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), meet height and weight requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on their height), and who are generally in good health may be eligible to donate blood. To schedule an appointment, please call 1-800-RED CROSS or go to redcrossblood.org.

Those affected by the storm can let friends and family know where they are by registering on the Red Cross Safe and Well website at redcross.org. They can also call a family member or friend with internet access and ask them to do their registration.

425 pints of blood collected at 2-day event

Registered nurse Lorrie John preps Joan Braekman before she donates blood. Braekman is a regular donor who has given more than 10 gallons of blood over the years. / Kelcie C. McCrae/Press-Gazette

Laure Cisler didn’t go to the 25th annual Super Donor Days just to donate blood.

She wanted to say thanks.

“I don’t know who the donors were when I received the blood 18 years ago,” Cisler said. “But I like to think they know who they are if they were here 18 years ago, I’d just like to thank them.”

The annual blood drive sponsored by the American Red Cross was held Thursday and Friday at Shopko Hall. Each year, coordinators try to collect enough blood to last through the Fourth of July weekend.

“Blood is needed each and every day,” said Dave Liethen, donor recruitment representative for the Badger Hawkeye Region of the American Red Cross. “Just because it’s the Fourth of July doesn’t mean that everybody is cured of cancer, people aren’t having heart attacks, or people aren’t getting in accidents and needing blood.”

It is because of annual blood drives similar to Super Donor Days that Cisler says she is alive.

“I was really lucky they held this event when I needed the blood,” she said. “You don’t know what tomorrow holds, whether it’s for you or a loved one, and there’s nothing that can replace that blood, so it’s necessary.”

Cisler’s life changed 18 years ago shortly after the Fourth of July.

Five weeks after she delivered her daughter Courtney, now 18, Cisler began to hemorrhage. She lost half the blood in her body, resulting in the need for donated blood. Now a healthy mother, Cisler, as well as her daughter, have become advocates for the American Red Cross and events that promote blood donations.

“It’s just nice to see all the people here willing to help people like my mom,” Courtney Cisler said. “They don’t know if it’s going to be someone that they know that they are going to be helping, and an hour of their time can give someone the rest of the rest of their life.”

According to Liethen, summer months trigger problems for blood donation centers. Many people are consumed with vacation time and leisure activities, which leaves donation centers dry.

Just like groceries, blood has an expiration date. Because it spoils quickly, they are trying to make sure they have enough clean and useable blood to supply those who need it.

A goal was set of 390 pints of blood to help serve throughout this holiday weekend. At the end the event, they received 425 pints of blood.

“This is the best two-day event since 2007,” said Liethen. “We’re really happy with the pints, it means that people who need it will receive it.”

Given their excitement on exceeding their goal, Liethen stressed that there still is a need for blood and encourages everyone to continue to stay informed on when and where a blood drive will be held.

“We need to make sure we have enough blood on hand,” Liethen said. “It might be something as simple as a trip to the grocery store, or a bite to eat and suddenly you get into an accident and find yourself on the receiving end.”

— kmccrae@greenbaypressgazette .com and follow her on Twitter @PGKelcieMcCrae.